What happened
On September 25, 2009, a Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter, registration PT-YZZ, was conducting a flight instruction mission departing from Campo de Marte Airport (SBMT) in São Paulo. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the student pilot observed the low fuel warning light illuminate.
The instructor performed an intermediate landing to visually verify the remaining fuel levels in the tanks. Following this inspection, the instructor took off again to return to the airfield. While flying at 800 feet, approximately two nautical miles from the airport, the engine lost power. The instructor declared an emergency to São Paulo Approach (APP-SP), reporting the power loss and the intention to perform an autorotation. The aircraft subsequently landed in a supermarket parking lot along the Marginal Tietê highway. The instructor sustained minor injuries, while the student pilot remained uninjured. The aircraft suffered severe damage to the fuselage, rotors, engine, and skids.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the engine flameout and the subsequent impact. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance logs, which revealed that the engine's fourth cylinder had been removed for resurfacing just one day prior to the accident. The investigation also reviewed the flight school's organizational culture, noting irregularities in the aircraft's logbook entries and a lack of standardized instruction procedures.
Technical analysis of the wreckage showed that the pilot initiated the flare at a higher altitude than recommended, resulting in a high sink rate during touchdown. Furthermore, the investigation identified that the school's internal fuel management and flight recording processes were informal and lacked proper oversight.